Counterattack at Libertyville

by SSgt Henry E. Johnson

Situation

You are the company commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 2d Marines. Your company consists of three rifle platoons and a weapons platoon mounted on trucks. In addition, you have a tank platoon, two squads of TOWs, and two squads of heavy machineguns on HMMWVs. For the past few days your battalion has taken a pretty good beating from an enemy regiment and has been withdrawing to the north in the face of the enemy advance. Since yesterday, you’ve outrun the majority of the enemy by several miles; however, one of his battalions still doggedly pursues you. It is estimated that this battalion consists of three line companies on trucks, a platoon of tanks, a platoon of BRDM armored reconnaissance vehicles, and a platoon of infantry on BMPs, armored infantry fighting vehicles.

Your company, which has the rear guard mission, has now reached Libertyville. The battalion commander tells you that if you can stop the pursuers long enough, he is prepared to counterattack in the Libertyville area and destroy the pursuing enemy battalion before completing the retrograde.

At its current speed, the enemy battalion could arrive in Libertyville in about 1 hour. Fire support, in addition to your own organic mortars, is a battery of artillery and 81mm mortars from battalion. What’s your plan for stopping the enemy?

Requirement

In a time limit of 10 minutes, develop your concept of operations and issue an order to your platoon commanders and attachments. Provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation. Send your solution to Marine Corps Gazette (TDG #93-2), P. O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134.

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